Drivers killed in fatal Champaign County crash ID’d

The two drivers killed in a four-vehicle crash have been identified as Joseph Brandyberry, 32, of Urbana, and Todd Bayless, 33, of Urbana, according to the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office.

Brandyberry was driving a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser that went left of center around 10:15 a.m. in front of 1796 U.S. 68 South. His vehicle struck a 2004 Ford F-150 driven by John Keechle, 64, of Springfield.

Brandyberry’s PT Cruiser then struck a 2004 Chrysler Town & Country minivan head-on that was driven by Bayless. The minivan then was struck by a 2008 Honda Accord driven by Lukas McKee, 35, of Urbana, the sheriff’s office said.

Brandyberry was taken to Urbana Mercy emergency room, where he was pronounced dead. Bayless was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation.

UPDATE @ 1:20 p.m.

At least two people are dead following a four-car crash on U.S. 68 in Champaign County, Capt. Carl Loney said.

Loney told our crew as many as eight people were involved in the crash allegedly caused by a wrong-way driver.

Witnesses told police a PT Cruiser travelling northbound on the roadway when it went left of center and struck a southbound truck.

Local groups hold vigil for victims of gun violence

DAYTON — The Organizing for Action and Dayton Indivisible For All is hosting a candlelight vigil To End Gun Violence in remembrance of the those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.

The event is being held today at Christ Episcopal Church in Dayton. Thursday, Dec. 14 marks the five year anniversary of the Sandy Hook school massacre in which a gunman killed 26 students and adults in Newtown, Ct.

OFA and DIFA are partnering with the Newtown Foundation and other gun violence prevention organizations in a nationwide tribute to end gun violence.

The vigil will also be a tribute to the more than 500,000 victims and survivors of gun violence since Dec. 2012, including the 58 Las Vegas concert-goers who were gunned down in October. More than 500 people were also injured during the Las Vegas shooting.

Miami County man on trial again, accused of sexual abuse of a child

TROY — A 14-year-old girl told a Miami County jury she was repeatedly abused sexually before disclosing the claims to friends in Piqua earlier this year. She testified Wednesday in the retrial of Charles Hiser, 37, of Troy, who is charged on eight felony rape counts. His first trial in Common Pleas Court ended in a mistrial in October after some jurors said they had seen media accounts of the case.

Hiser, who remains in jail on $550,000 bail, is charged with eight felony indictments of rape accusing him of sexual contact and sexual conduct with a person under age 10 and then under age 13 between February 2012 and late 2016 in Piqua and Troy.

The jury selection process took up most of the day Tuesday. In opening statements, Janna Parker, assistant county prosecutor, told the jury they would not hear testimony from a lot of people but would hear from the girl.

"She is worth listening to," Parker said. Public defender Steve Layman said Hiser talked with police voluntarily. He said there was not an objective fact-finding process followed in the investigation.

"Charles' guilt was presumed the moment of disclosure," Layman said. The girl said the abuse took place repeatedly beginning in 2012 and ended after she told friends, who encouraged her to approach a school counselor. The counselor, in turn, notified police. On cross examination, Layman questioned the girl's accounts of what she said occurred, when and where. The state also called Brenda Miceli, a pediatric psychologist at Dayton Children's Hospital, who testified about research on child sexual abuse.

She did not testify specifically about the Hiser case.Miceli said each victim's response to abuse is different based on personality, ways they cope and other factors. "Research shows there are no outward indicators (that abuse is occurring) in a lot of children," the psychologist said.